Scottish Executive

Access for People with Disabilities

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when people with dementia will be eligible for Blue Badges following its research into the recommendations made by the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee in Review of the Disabled Persons Parking Scheme (The Blue Badge Scheme): Recommendations for change .

Nicol Stephen: The Blue Badge review recommended that further research should be carried out into the independent mobility needs of certain groups of people, to determine whether there is a need for extending the eligibility criteria for a badge. The groups to be covered by the research include: people with mental health problems, partially sighted people, people with severe learning difficulties or severe behavioural difficulties and people with severe autism. The research will look at the mobility needs for these groups and will be carried out on a UK-wide basis.

  This research needs to be comprehensive and will take some time to complete. Meantime we are working with the Department for Transport and the Welsh and Northern Irish administrations to clarify and refine existing guidance for the Blue Badge Scheme, which is being led by the Department for Transport.

Air Services

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Department for Transport regarding British Airways’ response to The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: A National Consultation: South East and East England , which indicates that between 30 and 60 take-off and landing slots should be reserved daily at Heathrow Airport for domestic flights, and whether any of these should be specifically reserved for flights to and from Inverness Airport.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive has regular discussions with the Department for Transport on a range of aviation matters including the responses to the air transport consultation exercise. We are represented on the white paper steering group to ensure that Scottish interests are reflected in the white paper. The Executive has continually supported the case for securing slots on the Inverness to Gatwick route.

Common Agricultural Policy

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the economic impact on the south of Scotland of any planned changes to the Common Agricultural Policy.

Ross Finnie: Agreement on CAP Reform was reached at the Agriculture Council on 26 June. The agreement includes flexibility to shape elements of the reform package within Scotland. Over the coming months, the Executive will be considering the economic impact of the available options, including their regional effects. A wide debate on the issues will be initiated, involving all interest groups, and leading up to a formal consultation planned for October 2003.

  The European Commission’s proposals from July 2002 and January 2003 were the subject of economic impact studies at EU and UK level. The Executive has analysed the regional impact of these proposals and has been kept informed of regional studies by other organisations, including one for the Borders. A series of regional focus groups was organised by the Executive in May 2003 and these provided the opportunity to discuss with farmers the potential impact of decoupling. Two of these were held in the south of Scotland, in Galashiels and Moffat.

Concessionary Travel

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what public transport services there are for senior citizens and what proposals it has to introduce a national travel concessionary scheme for senior citizens.

Nicol Stephen: Senior citizens have access to the full range of public transport services available in Scotland. Local authorities have powers under the Transport Act 1985 to provide concessions for those over the age of 60 on any form of public passenger transport service, including local bus, rail, taxi, ferry or inter-island air services.

  Following agreement with COSLA, concessionary fares schemes were enhanced to provide a national minimum standard of free local off-peak travel for elderly and disabled people from 30 September 2002. As outlined in A Partnership for a Better Scotland, the Executive is committed to extending concessionary fares schemes on public transport, including a national free off-peak bus scheme for older people and people with disabilities.

Council Tax

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce measures to reduce the financial impact of the council tax on pensioner households, given that increases in council tax over the last 10 years have been greater than the rate of inflation.

Tavish Scott: Pensioners who have difficulty paying their council tax bills can apply for Council Tax Benefit. It is estimated that more than 50% of pensioner households are in receipt of Council Tax Benefit. Responsibility for Council Tax Benefit rests with the Department for Work and Pensions.

Council Tax

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to carry out a revaluation of the current council tax bands.

Tavish Scott: The earliest that a council tax revaluation might be considered practical, given the non-domestic revaluation cycle, would be 2007 or 2008.

  We have announced, as part of the Partnership Agreement, that following consultation with COSLA, we will establish an independent review into local government finance. Local taxation may well be within the remit of that review.

Diabetes

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to reduce the impact of diabetes on people who are diabetic.

Malcolm Chisholm: Good progress is being made to implement the recommendations of the Scottish Diabetes Framework published in April 2002. Work in hand includes the establishment of diabetes managed clinical networks in each NHS board area, the introduction of effective clinical data systems to support diabetes services and the development of a comprehensive diabetic retinopathy screening programme.

Education

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in the promotion of physical and recreational education in secondary schools.

Peter Peacock: The primary responsibility for the delivery and management of physical education within the curriculum rests with education authorities. However, the Scottish Executive has taken a number of steps to promote physical and recreational education in schools, including the establishment of a PE Review Group, an Active Schools Working Group and the Scottish Health Promoting Schools Unit. Funding has also been made available to adapt and develop the School Sports Co-ordinator Programme as part of the Active Schools Programme.

Enterprise

Mr Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will receive the report by Audit Scotland on Scottish Enterprise.

Mr Jim Wallace: Audit Scotland’s review of Scottish Enterprise is still under way. When completed, later in the summer, Audit Scotland will report their findings to the Auditor General and to the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise. It will then be for the Auditor General to decide on publication of the report’s findings.

Enterprise

Mr Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will review the policy, processes and expenditure guidelines associated with the hiring of consultants by Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and its Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department and whether it will have separate discussions with local authorities to review similar matters in relation to their hiring of consultants.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Management Statements between the Department and the Enterprise Networks contain guidelines on expenditure and procurement of services, which include the hiring of consultants. These guidelines are subject to review on a regular basis to ensure that they are consistent with best practice. It is for local authorities to make decisions about hiring consultants in pursuit of their own functions.

Enterprise

Mr Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will change the operational guidelines for relations between the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, its Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department and Scottish Enterprise on all matters relating to enterprise.

Mr Jim Wallace: Operational guidelines for Scottish Enterprise are contained in a Management Statement for which the Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department is responsible. This document was substantially revised in 2002 and is reviewed on a regular basis.

Enterprise

Mr Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will initiate a review to identify any areas of management overlap between its Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Mr Jim Wallace: No. In 2000 a Review of the Enterprise Networks examined the roles and responsibilities of the Department and the Enterprise Networks and clarified relationships. The Executive is responsible for setting strategic direction and has done so through A Smart, Successful Scotland . That document also sets out the wider nature of the revised relationship with the Enterprise Networks.

Environment

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been undertaken in the last four years into the levels of atmospheric pollution within a two mile radius of the A80 at Cumbernauld.

Nicol Stephen: A study into the levels of atmospheric pollution was undertaken in 2002 as part of the environmental impact assessment for the A80 Auchenkilns junction improvement. This study also included the results of two North Lanarkshire Council surveys. Further studies are currently being undertaken as part of the Environmental Assessment for the corridor of the proposed A80 upgrade.

Environment

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any projections that have been made in relation to levels of atmospheric pollution within a two mile radius of the A80 at Cumbernauld resulting from the online upgrading of the A80.

Nicol Stephen: These projections will be included in the environmental statement.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make regarding the European Commission's request for views on the proposal by the European Parliament that an additional €150 million be allocated as aid to fishing communities.

Ross Finnie: We have agreed a UK response to the Commission, which has issued on …118 June 2003. First, this fund does not exist. The European Parliament has suggested its creation. However, the Commission would have to propose it, and the Council of Ministers endorse it.

  Second, such a fund would not increase public expenditure in Scotland because of the UK’s public spending arrangements. So there is no benefit for Scottish fishing communities from this initiative.

Fuel Duty

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the criteria for bus fuel duty rebate.

Nicol Stephen: While we have no immediate plans to review the criteria for Bus Service Operators Grant (formerly bus fuel duty rebate), we will bring forward options for change as necessary to ensure that public subsidy for bus services continues to be used effectively.

Health

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-542 by Mr Tom McCabe on 12 June 2003, whether any ventilation system can reduce the risks of (a) heart disease, (b) lung disease other than cancer and (c) any other health problems associated with passive smoking.

Mr Tom McCabe: It is not possible to give a definitive answer to this question because the health risks associated with passive smoking depend on such a wide range of different factors. However, the Scottish Executive does not endorse ventilation systems alone as being an effective means of removing all risks associated with Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS).

  In general the degree of ETS related disease risk depends critically upon the average ratio of the smoker density to air exchange rate in the exposure venues a person frequents during their life.

Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce new arrangements for the prescribing of medicines by implementing section 63 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 and, if so, when and in respect of which health professionals.

Malcolm Chisholm: Section 63 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 enables the extension of prescribing rights to new groups of health care professionals. As a first step towards implementing the provisions of section 63, we are introducing supplementary prescribing for appropriately trained pharmacists and nurses. Work to effect the necessary amendments to NHS regulations is in hand, and we expect the first supplementary prescribing arrangements to come into operation during the course of this year.

Hearing Aids

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time for a hearing aid is in (a) the Fife NHS Board area and (b) Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally. Information on waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant, following referral, is collected at specialty level only.

Hepatitis

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the first supplementary question to question S2O-229 by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 June 2003 ( Official Report , c 968-969), on what issues it has sought legal advice in respect of interpreting the Scotland Act 1998 in order to assist negotiations with Her Majesty's Government about financial assistance for people infected with hepatitis C through contaminated blood and blood products while undergoing NHS treatment.

Malcolm Chisholm: The substantive issue on which we have sought legal advice is whether the establishment of a scheme of ex-gratia payments of the kind I announced to the Health and Community Care Committee in January would be outside the devolved competence of Scottish ministers.

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any documents or papers to which the investigation into the cost of the Holyrood building project, lead by Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, will be denied access and, in particular, whether it will have access to all (a) government papers, (b) of Her Majesty's Government’s Cabinet papers and (c) Scottish Executive Cabinet papers on the matter.

Mr Jack McConnell: I made clear in my statement on 19 June that Lord Fraser must have access to relevant papers. I am confident that the inquiry will have access to relevant papers.

Justice

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Lord Advocate will publish guidelines on prosecution under section 51 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: Guidance will be issued to Procurators Fiscal before the provision is commenced.

Justice

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many recorded offences have been committed under section (a) 103(1)(b), (b) 87(1), (c) 143(2), (d) 47 and (e) 165(3) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and section 29 of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 in each of the last four years, broken down by local authority area.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following tables. The recorded crime statistics collected centrally do not distinguish legislation at the level of detail specified. In consequence some of the figures given in the tables may include offences recorded under legislation other than that requested in the question:

  Offences Recorded by the Police of "Driving While Disqualified from Holding or Obtaining a Licence", 1999 to 2002

  


Council Area 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  

2002 
  



Scotland 
  

4,366 
  

4,463 
  

4,392 
  

5,124 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

294 
  

327 
  

287 
  

311 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

147 
  

139 
  

125 
  

139 
  



Angus 
  

61 
  

46 
  

99 
  

102 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

42 
  

45 
  

51 
  

48 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

17 
  

32 
  

28 
  

54 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

90 
  

128 
  

139 
  

148 
  



Dundee City 
  

216 
  

199 
  

237 
  

291 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

94 
  

124 
  

105 
  

145 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

39 
  

28 
  

28 
  

46 
  



East Lothian 
  

41 
  

45 
  

46 
  

39 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

59 
  

47 
  

45 
  

28 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

426 
  

497 
  

425 
  

510 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

14 
  

15 
  

30 
  

7 
  



Falkirk 
  

106 
  

109 
  

113 
  

183 
  



Fife 
  

270 
  

342 
  

315 
  

406 
  



Glasgow City 
  

855 
  

784 
  

745 
  

865 
  



Highland 
  

113 
  

127 
  

122 
  

171 
  



Inverclyde 
  

49 
  

42 
  

63 
  

47 
  



Midlothian 
  

68 
  

66 
  

67 
  

87 
  



Moray 
  

90 
  

88 
  

83 
  

101 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

97 
  

90 
  

107 
  

108 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

274 
  

301 
  

302 
  

303 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

7 
  

3 
  

1 
  

3 
  



Perth and Kinross 
  

85 
  

83 
  

82 
  

135 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

164 
  

139 
  

114 
  

185 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

58 
  

56 
  

53 
  

73 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

4 
  

9 
  

2 
  

5 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

84 
  

77 
  

79 
  

90 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

226 
  

214 
  

207 
  

201 
  



Stirling 
  

72 
  

64 
  

62 
  

99 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

79 
  

75 
  

71 
  

47 
  



West Lothian 
  

125 
  

122 
  

159 
  

147 
  



  Note:

  Includes all offences recorded under the Road Traffic Act 1988 Section 103(1).

  Offences Recorded by the Police of "Driving Without a Licence (Including Under Age)", 1999 to 2002

  


Council Area 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  

2002 
  



Scotland 
  

12,528 
  

13,463 
  

14,584 
  

16,942 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

743 
  

650 
  

716 
  

984 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

449 
  

396 
  

459 
  

435 
  



Angus 
  

196 
  

188 
  

227 
  

297 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

179 
  

240 
  

227 
  

263 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

52 
  

65 
  

117 
  

137 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

469 
  

550 
  

533 
  

645 
  



Dundee City 
  

450 
  

550 
  

547 
  

644 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

287 
  

294 
  

271 
  

377 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

118 
  

144 
  

142 
  

219 
  



East Lothian 
  

119 
  

110 
  

138 
  

157 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

140 
  

104 
  

99 
  

139 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

927 
  

1,053 
  

1,147 
  

1,176 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

23 
  

30 
  

51 
  

46 
  



Falkirk 
  

208 
  

215 
  

369 
  

377 
  



Fife 
  

743 
  

978 
  

1,017 
  

1,323 
  



Glasgow City 
  

2,709 
  

2,831 
  

2,945 
  

3,747 
  



Highland 
  

291 
  

386 
  

462 
  

530 
  



Inverclyde 
  

255 
  

278 
  

209 
  

193 
  



Midlothian 
  

167 
  

146 
  

182 
  

180 
  



Moray 
  

144 
  

165 
  

267 
  

273 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

279 
  

324 
  

316 
  

324 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

882 
  

1,090 
  

1,095 
  

1,225 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

7 
  

24 
  

23 
  

19 
  



Perth and Kinross 
  

227 
  

267 
  

462 
  

410 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

447 
  

417 
  

442 
  

540 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

133 
  

173 
  

172 
  

169 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

19 
  

33 
  

14 
  

29 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

302 
  

306 
  

294 
  

361 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

801 
  

717 
  

751 
  

732 
  



Stirling 
  

151 
  

99 
  

188 
  

268 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

309 
  

198 
  

218 
  

242 
  



West Lothian 
  

302 
  

442 
  

484 
  

481 
  



  Note:

  Includes all offences recorded under the Road Traffic Act 1988 Sections 94A, 87 (1 and 2) and 110 (1and 2).

  Offences Recorded by the Police of "Failure to Insure Against Third Party Risks", 1999 to 2002

  


Council Area 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  

2002 
  



Scotland 
  

23,269 
  

25,010 
  

26,965 
  

30,068 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

1,259 
  

1,324 
  

1,423 
  

1,862 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

819 
  

746 
  

871 
  

825 
  



Angus 
  

393 
  

342 
  

496 
  

595 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

320 
  

397 
  

410 
  

414 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

114 
  

151 
  

275 
  

317 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

740 
  

768 
  

781 
  

923 
  



Dundee City 
  

926 
  

974 
  

1,029 
  

1,371 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

484 
  

513 
  

480 
  

612 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

231 
  

229 
  

239 
  

309 
  



East Lothian 
  

233 
  

245 
  

291 
  

279 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

260 
  

202 
  

209 
  

222 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

1,939 
  

2,183 
  

2,124 
  

2,268 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

72 
  

62 
  

97 
  

69 
  



Falkirk 
  

495 
  

507 
  

899 
  

887 
  



Fife 
  

1,308 
  

2,256 
  

2,209 
  

2,478 
  



Glasgow City 
  

4,589 
  

4,754 
  

4,943 
  

5,773 
  



Highland 
  

722 
  

801 
  

883 
  

979 
  



Inverclyde 
  

415 
  

396 
  

344 
  

315 
  



Midlothian 
  

385 
  

396 
  

337 
  

404 
  



Moray 
  

317 
  

326 
  

439 
  

523 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

499 
  

513 
  

565 
  

542 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

1,639 
  

1,830 
  

1,980 
  

2,033 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

34 
  

44 
  

45 
  

56 
  



Perth and Kinross 
  

528 
  

556 
  

723 
  

808 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

800 
  

695 
  

718 
  

929 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

282 
  

367 
  

335 
  

383 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

51 
  

68 
  

48 
  

72 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

540 
  

514 
  

523 
  

597 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

1,341 
  

1,312 
  

1,356 
  

1,305 
  



Stirling 
  

335 
  

270 
  

516 
  

588 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

506 
  

350 
  

356 
  

356 
  



West Lothian 
  

693 
  

919 
  

1,021 
  

974 
  



  Note:

  Includes all offences recorded under the Road Traffic Act 1988 Sections 143 and 165.

  Offences Recorded by the Police of "Using a Motor Vehicle Without a Test Certificate", 1999 to 2002

  


Council Area 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  

2002 
  



Scotland 
  

12,589 
  

13,658 
  

14,450 
  

15,043 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

463 
  

489 
  

579 
  

782 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

438 
  

390 
  

476 
  

397 
  



Angus 
  

229 
  

193 
  

247 
  

291 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

188 
  

255 
  

253 
  

223 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

102 
  

94 
  

178 
  

199 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

465 
  

451 
  

391 
  

431 
  



Dundee City 
  

466 
  

517 
  

512 
  

692 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

262 
  

237 
  

249 
  

290 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

137 
  

140 
  

127 
  

179 
  



East Lothian 
  

137 
  

147 
  

158 
  

143 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

131 
  

102 
  

125 
  

120 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

1,006 
  

1,091 
  

1,083 
  

1,028 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

29 
  

23 
  

36 
  

30 
  



Falkirk 
  

327 
  

341 
  

595 
  

454 
  



Fife 
  

665 
  

1,211 
  

1,214 
  

1,074 
  



Glasgow City 
  

2,515 
  

2,670 
  

2,729 
  

2,966 
  



Highland 
  

349 
  

423 
  

433 
  

535 
  



Inverclyde 
  

250 
  

243 
  

200 
  

181 
  



Midlothian 
  

228 
  

236 
  

186 
  

200 
  



Moray 
  

116 
  

130 
  

164 
  

211 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

265 
  

289 
  

282 
  

227 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

914 
  

1,122 
  

1,170 
  

1,192 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

19 
  

22 
  

21 
  

25 
  



Perth and Kinross 
  

332 
  

319 
  

346 
  

426 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

398 
  

343 
  

383 
  

420 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

161 
  

180 
  

163 
  

185 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

38 
  

29 
  

17 
  

33 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

341 
  

306 
  

282 
  

352 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

774 
  

784 
  

787 
  

724 
  



Stirling 
  

237 
  

178 
  

323 
  

340 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

251 
  

175 
  

180 
  

186 
  



West Lothian 
  

356 
  

528 
  

561 
  

507 
  



  Note:

  Includes all offences recorded under the Road Traffic Act 1988 Sections 47(1), 53(1 and 3) and 165.

  Offences Recorded by the Police of "Failing to Provide Information to Identify the Driver of a Motor Vehicle", 1999 to 2002

  


Council Area 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  

2002 
  



Scotland 
  

455 
  

393 
  

643 
  

625 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

29 
  

34 
  

35 
  

46 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

47 
  

39 
  

46 
  

59 
  



Angus 
  

8 
  

6 
  

12 
  

15 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

10 
  

5 
  

4 
  

3 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

2 
  

5 
  

5 
  

7 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

6 
  

2 
  

12 
  

13 
  



Dundee City 
  

43 
  

19 
  

12 
  

30 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

7 
  

4 
  

6 
  

9 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

3 
  

4 
  

3 
  

4 
  



East Lothian 
  

2 
  

0 
  

2 
  

6 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

7 
  

1 
  

5 
  

4 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

32 
  

30 
  

22 
  

77 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

7 
  

4 
  

3 
  

8 
  



Falkirk 
  

7 
  

12 
  

25 
  

32 
  



Fife 
  

49 
  

56 
  

67 
  

68 
  



Glasgow City 
  

53 
  

38 
  

36 
  

37 
  



Highland 
  

36 
  

19 
  

31 
  

45 
  



Inverclyde 
  

2 
  

4 
  

7 
  

5 
  



Midlothian 
  

2 
  

1 
  

2 
  

3 
  



Moray 
  

17 
  

14 
  

196 
  

27 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

3 
  

3 
  

5 
  

11 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

20 
  

16 
  

25 
  

9 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



Perth and Kinross 
  

9 
  

12 
  

24 
  

24 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

5 
  

9 
  

13 
  

7 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

2 
  

3 
  

17 
  

7 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

7 
  

1 
  

0 
  

3 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

9 
  

4 
  

5 
  

3 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

8 
  

18 
  

8 
  

13 
  



Stirling 
  

10 
  

25 
  

9 
  

31 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

5 
  

3 
  

1 
  

3 
  



West Lothian 
  

7 
  

2 
  

5 
  

16 
  



  Note:

  Includes all offences recorded under the Road Traffic Act 1988 Sections 165 and 172.

  Offences Recorded by the Police of "Vehicle Excise Licence Offences", 1999 to 2002

  


Council Area 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  

2002 
  



Scotland 
  

19,956 
  

23,775 
  

23,208 
  

19,354 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

932 
  

1,084 
  

1,013 
  

1,114 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

655 
  

739 
  

704 
  

541 
  



Angus 
  

308 
  

279 
  

238 
  

233 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

214 
  

392 
  

375 
  

312 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

136 
  

210 
  

220 
  

290 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

528 
  

753 
  

604 
  

370 
  



Dundee City 
  

786 
  

1,032 
  

871 
  

969 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

369 
  

414 
  

398 
  

439 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

146 
  

174 
  

216 
  

199 
  



East Lothian 
  

294 
  

344 
  

272 
  

20 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

192 
  

149 
  

215 
  

171 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

1,182 
  

1,809 
  

1,343 
  

86 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

46 
  

22 
  

29 
  

60 
  



Falkirk 
  

460 
  

703 
  

880 
  

692 
  



Fife 
  

1,863 
  

2,671 
  

1,976 
  

2,093 
  



Glasgow City 
  

3,004 
  

3,829 
  

4,413 
  

4,375 
  



Highland 
  

926 
  

780 
  

697 
  

734 
  



Inverclyde 
  

409 
  

414 
  

416 
  

266 
  



Midlothian 
  

419 
  

395 
  

299 
  

27 
  



Moray 
  

175 
  

186 
  

181 
  

259 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

391 
  

405 
  

437 
  

390 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

1,695 
  

1,988 
  

2,433 
  

2,180 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

45 
  

56 
  

33 
  

58 
  



Perth and Kinross 
  

548 
  

541 
  

469 
  

423 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

617 
  

665 
  

638 
  

634 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

227 
  

309 
  

223 
  

21 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

21 
  

46 
  

24 
  

17 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

621 
  

585 
  

638 
  

566 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

1,143 
  

1,183 
  

1,357 
  

1,042 
  



Stirling 
  

381 
  

358 
  

483 
  

516 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

394 
  

223 
  

244 
  

227 
  



West Lothian 
  

829 
  

1,037 
  

869 
  

30 
  



  Note:

  Includes all offences recorded under various sections of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994.

Justice

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many recorded offences have been committed under section (a) 40A and (b) 41A(b) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and regulation (i) 15, (ii) 16, (iii) 17, (iv) 18, (v) 27 and (vi) 29 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 in each of the last four years, broken down by local authority area.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table. The recorded crime statistics collected centrally do not distinguish legislation at the level of detail requested. Only general offences under "construction and use regulations (other than lighting)" can be distinguished; these may include offences recorded under legislation other than that specified in the question.

  Offences Recorded by the Police of "Construction and Use Regulations (Other Than Lighting)", 1999 to 2002

  


Council Area 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  

2002 
  



Scotland 
  

28,659 
  

23,670 
  

22,834 
  

22,135 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

443 
  

360 
  

431 
  

641 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

873 
  

657 
  

566 
  

737 
  



Angus 
  

97 
  

124 
  

158 
  

172 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

414 
  

531 
  

508 
  

520 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

191 
  

237 
  

381 
  

376 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

715 
  

737 
  

547 
  

510 
  



Dundee City 
  

120 
  

156 
  

157 
  

221 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

1,049 
  

993 
  

658 
  

776 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

181 
  

169 
  

194 
  

118 
  



East Lothian 
  

412 
  

206 
  

191 
  

178 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

387 
  

194 
  

175 
  

189 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

2,198 
  

1,519 
  

1,503 
  

1,488 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

67 
  

26 
  

75 
  

76 
  



Falkirk 
  

1,322 
  

1,032 
  

1,605 
  

1,293 
  



Fife 
  

1,818 
  

2,341 
  

1,813 
  

1,286 
  



Glasgow City 
  

4,442 
  

3,938 
  

3,244 
  

2,649 
  



Highland 
  

1,025 
  

961 
  

993 
  

1,417 
  



Inverclyde 
  

491 
  

623 
  

559 
  

345 
  



Midlothian 
  

1,033 
  

818 
  

624 
  

695 
  



Moray 
  

360 
  

172 
  

286 
  

288 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

779 
  

588 
  

488 
  

703 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

2,275 
  

1,533 
  

1,864 
  

1,332 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

123 
  

46 
  

47 
  

71 
  



Perth and Kinross 
  

205 
  

342 
  

344 
  

689 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

841 
  

659 
  

496 
  

492 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

478 
  

474 
  

631 
  

542 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

84 
  

45 
  

25 
  

35 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

1,487 
  

1,336 
  

887 
  

1,291 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

1,756 
  

1,116 
  

1,175 
  

857 
  



Stirling 
  

775 
  

540 
  

886 
  

837 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

660 
  

219 
  

319 
  

194 
  



West Lothian 
  

1,558 
  

978 
  

1,004 
  

1,117 
  



  Note:

  May include offences recorded under various sections of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Local Government

Mr Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees were employed in the economic development department of (a) Glasgow City Council, (b) City of Edinburgh Council, (c) Perth and Kinross Council, (d) Highland Council, (e) Aberdeen City Council, (f) Dundee City Council and (g) Stirling Council; what the total annual remuneration of those employees was on 30 April 2003, and what the total annual expenditure of those councils was on these departments in 2002-03.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not held centrally. The latest available information on numbers of full-time equivalent staff employed by each local authority associated with the services of "planning and economic development" is given in table 5 of Joint Staffing Watch: December 2001 ,   published jointly by the Scottish Executive and COSLA in December 2002. A copy is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 25781).

MMR Vaccine

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the take-up rate of combined MMR vaccinations (a) is currently and (b) was in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Chisholm: Uptake of MMR across Scotland to 31 March 2003 (first quarter of 2003) was 86.1%. In each of the previous five years, to end December, uptake was as follows:

  


Year 
  

% Uptake 
  



2002 
  

87.8 
  



2001 
  

88.5 
  



2000 
  

93.2 
  



1999 
  

92.7 
  



1998 
  

92.7

MMR Vaccine

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision is being made for separate vaccinations for mumps, measles and rubella where NHS patients do not wish to present their children for the combined MMR vaccination.

Malcolm Chisholm: Combined MMR is the licensed vaccine recommended for immunisation of children against measles, mumps and rubella in the UK. There are no plans to change current policy.

MMR Vaccine

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive from which countries the NHS purchases (a) combined MMR, (b) mumps, (c) measles and (d) rubella vaccines and what the current supply and availability is of each vaccine.

Malcolm Chisholm: UK-licensed MMR and single rubella vaccines are purchased from the UK. Single mumps and measles vaccines are not centrally purchased as they do not form part of the childhood immunisation schedule. As at 16 June 2003, the central stockholding in the UK of MMR was 766,772 doses and rubella 13,655 doses.

Maritime Issues

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a maritime strategy.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has a clear maritime strategy reflecting our devolved responsibilities and certain reserved maritime and shipping issues that are the responsibility of the UK Government. The ports policy paper Modern Ports: A UK Policy , a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 9874), produced jointly by the UK Department for Transport, the Scottish Executive and the other devolved administrations, provides a clear strategy for the future development of ports and harbours in Scotland. The Executive continues to support and invest in lifeline ferry service links to Scotland’s island and remote mainland communities. The Executive assists harbour developments serving lifeline ferry routes, and provides support under the Freight Facilities Grant Scheme for projects that transfer freight from road to sea. A Partnership for a Better Scotland highlights the Executive’s commitment to improving Scotland’s ferry links to mainland Europe, and identifies the opportunity for encouraging international container transhipment hub facilities in Scotland. Finally, the Executive maintains regular liaison with the UK Government on reserved shipping and maritime policies in relation to Scotland.

NHS Trusts

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what reduction in the number of administration posts will result from dissolving NHS trusts and setting up (a) general hospital and (b) community health divisions, as referred to at the public meeting of Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board on 4 June 2003

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial savings will result from dissolving NHS trusts and setting up (a) general hospital and (b) community health divisions, as referred to at the public meeting of Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board on 4 June 2003.

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what short-term costs will arise from dissolving NHS trusts and setting up (a) general hospital and (b) community health divisions, as referred to at the public meeting of Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board on 4 June 2003

Malcolm Chisholm: This is an operational matter for NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

NHS Waiting Times

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the median waiting time was for (a) cardiac surgery, (b) general surgery and (c) child psychiatry in the (i) Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust area and (ii) Scotland in the latest quarter for which figures are available.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information on median wait for first out-patient appointment and median wait for in-patient/day case admission, is shown in the following tables:

  


Out-patients1


Median Wait 
  (Days)
Quarter End 
  March 2003P




General Surgery 
  



Scotland 
  

35 
  



Grampian University Hospitals 
  NHS Trust 
  

52 
  



Cardiothoracic 
  Surgery 
  



Scotland 
  

25 
  



Grampian University Hospitals 
  NHS Trust 
  

22 
  



Child Psychiatry 
  



NHSScotland 
  

57 
  



Grampian University Hospitals 
  NHS Trust 
  

73 
  



  PProvisional.

  Notes

  1. Information on waiting times for out-patients is based only on first out-patient appointments of referrals of Scottish residents from GMPs or GDPs only – cases with availability status codes are also excluded

  


In-patients/Day Cases1


Median Wait 
  (Days)
Quarter End 
  March 2003P




General Surgery 
  



Scotland 
  

42 
  



Grampian University Hospitals 
  NHS Trust 
  

40 
  



Cardiothoracic 
  Surgery 
  



Scotland 
  

23 
  



Grampian University Hospitals 
  NHS Trust 
  

86 
  



  PProvisional.

  Notes:

  1. Information on waiting times for in-patient/day case admission is based only on cases where patients have been previously routinely admitted from home from the true waiting list.

Non-Domestic Rates

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to ensure that businesses receive more notice to changes to their non-domestic rates bills.

Mr Andy Kerr: We have frozen the business rate poundage for 2003-04 at the 2002-03 level and made a commitment to limit increases to no more than inflation for the following two years. Changes in the rateable value of a business occur only at the time of a general revaluation, which takes place every five years; as the result of a successful appeal, or when a ratepayer makes alterations to a property. Local authorities are responsible for issuing revised bills.

Public Transport

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how quality bus contracts will protect bus services for communities located on non-profitable bus routes.

Nicol Stephen: Quality contracts are part of the "toolkit" of options provided in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 to allow local authorities to enhance the provision of bus services. Under a quality contract, a local transport authority can determine what bus services are provided in the area covered by the contract, the standards to which they are provided (including frequencies and fares) and additional facilities or services to be provided, for example bus shelters.

Roads

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many domestic premises between Muirhead and the Haggs Interchange will be demolished as a result of the online upgrade of the A80.

Nicol Stephen: The number of domestic properties that will have to be demolished will be confirmed when the design is fully developed and draft roads orders published.

Roads

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many old mine workings between the village of Mollinsburn and the Haggs Interchange have been identified on, or within 500 metres of, the route of the proposed online upgrade of the A80.

Nicol Stephen: Ground investigation work is due to start later this year. This will establish the extent of any mine workings along the proposed route.

Roads

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-148 by Nicol Stephen on 2 June 2003, whether there are any concerns about implications for the completion date of the Aberdeen western peripheral route if Aberdeen City Council proceeds with an additional road crossing over the River Don.

Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-104 on 6 June 2003. No implications for the proposed completion date are envisaged. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Scottish Executive Departments

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what expert groups it has set up in each year since 1999, broken down by departmental area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not held centrally.

Scottish Executive Staff

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it monitors applications for posts within the Executive to ensure that age discrimination is avoided.

Mr Andy Kerr: In line with best practice, and its equal opportunities and diversity policies, the Executive monitors all applications by age.

Taxation

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-450 by Mr Andy Kerr on 11 June 2003, when it will publish the results of its study into business taxation.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive intends to publish the findings of its comparative study of business taxation in late summer 2003.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-680 by Mr Frank McAveety on 17 June 2003, what duty VisitScotland has to discuss an annual business plan for the visitscotland.com venture; how stakeholders in the sector may participate in, and comment on, the running and operation of the venture and its performance in relation to the annual business plan; what commercially sensitive information the venture (a) must provide to and (b) may withhold from VisitScotland; what information VisitScotland receives on a privileged and commercially confidential basis, and what powers VisitScotland has to oppose, or change, any aspect of the plan.

Mr Frank McAveety: An annual business plan is produced by visitscotland.com. It is agreed by the board and any changes to the plan require a unanimous decision by all board members. The business plan is not publicly available for reasons of commercial confidentiality.

  Both VisitScotland and the area tourist boards are represented on the board and stakeholders in the sector may therefore participate in, and comment on, the running and operation of the venture through this representation. In addition, visitscotland.com has an Industry Advisory Group, with broad representation across the tourism industry, which provides advice and input from an industry perspective.

  The visitscotland.com venture is a partnership and VisitScotland as a shareholder has access to a full range of shareholder information. However, the majority of this information is commercially confidential and will not be published in the public domain.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-680 by Mr Frank McAveety on 17 June 2003, whether it will give details of the performance standards set out in the service level agreement in respect of visitscotland.com and what reasons are for its position on this matter.

Mr Frank McAveety: Performance standards are set out in Annex 1 of the Business Case which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Transport

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will set up a national transport authority and how it intends such a body to operate.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive will consult on proposals for a strategic transport authority during the summer.

Waste Management

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what contact its officials have had with officials of Dumfries and Galloway Council about the adaptation and implementation of the council's private finance initiative for waste management since November 2002.

Ross Finnie: Officials of the Scottish Executive have had numerous productive meetings and correspondence with officials from Dumfries and Galloway Council since November 2002. The most recent meeting was on 9 July. We hope to see the contract signed for the public private partnership waste management project during the course of this summer.

Water Industry

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a breakdown of the capital expenditure by (a) Scottish Water and (b) the combined former water authorities, showing the amount and percentage sourced from (i) borrowing, (ii) customer charges and (iii) other sources, in each of the last four years.

Ross Finnie: Information relating to Scottish Water will be available once its first year’s accounts have been laid in Parliament. For the three former water authorities, the information is available from the audited accounts as laid before the Scottish Parliament. Bib. numbers for the Scottish Parliament’s Reference Centre are as follows:

  


Water Authorities’ Published 
  Accounts 
  

Scottish Parliament’s 
  Reference Centre – Bib. Numbers 
  



NoSWA 
  

ESWA 
  

WoSWA 
  



1998-99 
  

4005 
  

12835 
  

4004 
  



1999-2000 
  

8790 
  

7898 
  

7925 
  



2000-01 
  

16464 
  

17792 
  

16463 
  



2001-02 
  

24607 
  

24610 
  

24612 
  



  Further information on capital expenditure undertaken by the three water authorities is also available in the Water Industry Commissioner’s "Investment and Asset Management Report 2000-02" which may be found on the internet at:

  http://www.watercommissioner.co.uk/NRs&Publications.htm.

Whisky Industry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take over this session of the Parliament to promote the whisky industry.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure the competitiveness of the whisky industry.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive and the industry have an on-going commitment to work together to secure the best conditions possible, at home or abroad, for the benefit of the industry, the jobs it supports and the wider economy of Scotland.

Whisky Industry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government that the level of excise duty on whisky should be reduced.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been in contact with (a) Her Majesty's Government and (b) the European Commission in relation to (i) any future possible measure that would have an impact on the competitiveness of the whisky industry and (ii) the taxation regime of the industry in comparison with other forms of alcohol and, in particular, wine.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues affecting the Scotch whisky industry including duty rates, tax differentials and EU minimum rates.

Whisky Industry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make to (a) Her Majesty's Government and (b) the European Commission that the regulatory burden should take account of the specific needs of the whisky industry.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues including regulations as they affect the Scotch whisky industry. The Executive works to support Scottish businesses where EU and UK policies have an effect on competitiveness, and seeks to ensure that the regulatory burden is kept to a sensible minimum.

Whisky Industry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that the whisky industry is not faced with any additional costs arising from the water framework directive; what advice it has sought from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) on this matter; whether it will publish any correspondence with SEPA on this matter, and, if there has been any communication on the matter between the Executive and SEPA other than by correspondence, whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre copies of all documents constituting the communication.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has stated that the regulatory regimes introduced under the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 will be selective, proportionate and streamlined and SEPA will be required to recover the costs incurred by its new duties by means of charging schemes. Safeguards have been built into the Water Framework Directive and the Water Environment and Water Services Scotland (Act) 2003 to ensure that economic and social issues are taken into account alongside environmental factors in the river basin management planning process. Section 2(4)(a) of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 requires Scottish ministers, SEPA, and responsible authorities to exercise their functions with regard to the social and economic impact of that exercise.

  The new regulatory regimes will be subject to full consultation and will be accompanied by a regulatory impact assessment. Representatives from the whisky industry will have the opportunity to take part in that consultation. Furthermore, the industry will continue to have opportunities to influence a wide range of Water Framework Directive implementation issues through the Water Framework Directive National Stakeholder Forum, on which whisky industry representatives will sit.

  The Scottish Executive has consulted widely on issues relating to implementing the water framework directive on a number of occasions. The whisky industry has responded to all consultations and representatives of the Malt Distillers Association and the Scotch Whisky Association attended a national Water Framework Directive conference in March. All responses to consultation, and future consultation are published on the Executive website, unless recipients request that their contribution is treated in confidence.

Whisky Industry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the value has been of the whisky industry to the economy in terms of (a) the number of jobs, (b) the gross domestic product, (c) the value of exports in each of the last four years and, in each case, what the value of the industry is estimated to be in the next four years.

Lewis Macdonald: According to figures compiled by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), the number of people directly employed by the Scotch whisky industry in the UK over the last four years is 1999 - 11,178; 2000 - 11,091; 2001 - 10,691, and 2002 - 10,438. A recent study by DTZ Pieda, on behalf of the SWA, concluded that, in 2000, distillers spent £689.72 million with Scottish suppliers of goods and services. As a result, 40,810 jobs in Scotland were indirectly supported by Scotch whisky production. Nearly 65,000 jobs were supported across the UK as a whole.

  The most recent research in the area of Gross Domestic Product concluded that in 2000, £807 million of income (principally wages and salaries) was generated in Scotland by Scotch whisky production. £1,311 million of income was generated in the UK as a whole. The value of exports in each of the last four years was 1999 - £2,093.7 million; 2000 - £2,156.4 million; 2001 - £2,295.0 million, and 2002 - £2,285.0 million. No statistics are available about prospects over the next four years.

Whisky Industry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the Keepers of the Quaich and when it will next do so.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has not met the Keepers of the Quaich and no such meetings are planned.

Whisky Industry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it will make of the impact of the rate of taxation per unit of alcohol on the (a) whisky industry and (b) wine industry in other EU member states; whether, in the course of making any such assessment, it will meet with the government of each EU member state that applies lower taxation rates per unit of alcohol on wine than the UK taxation rate per unit of alcohol on whisky and, if so, whether it will send a minister to the meetings, and what steps it will take to address any differentiation between the taxation rate per unit of alcohol for wine and the rate for whisky.

Lewis Macdonald: Duty rates, tax differentials and EU minimum rates are matters reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Executive will continue to support the Scotch whisky industry to secure the best conditions at home and abroad.